Bolt on solution for twinpot callipers (AE111/101 etc) with big 275mm rotors
- Thread starter Fatman
- Start date
Fatman
Member +
I ran out of time writing the first post, nope.. unfortunately this suffers from the same rotor offset problem that exists with running the smaller diameter rotors. I'm looking for a bolt on solution for that too.
First time round I machined 3mm off the carrier mounting surface and then spaced the rotor 3mm. I felt this was a better solution that adding a thicker spacer and losing the hub centric rotor. Plus I probably ended up saving weight rather than adding some with a 6mm spacer. On the prowl for a suitable rotor now!
First time round I machined 3mm off the carrier mounting surface and then spaced the rotor 3mm. I felt this was a better solution that adding a thicker spacer and losing the hub centric rotor. Plus I probably ended up saving weight rather than adding some with a 6mm spacer. On the prowl for a suitable rotor now!
Fatman
Member +
Some success with finding a solution to the rotor offset issue: Brembo rotor for Vauxhall/Opel
This rotor is 280x25mm with the offset to move the rotor friction surface 8mm outboard compared to the original rotor, e.g perfect for our application.
Now for the bad news, they slightly too large. Could probably get away with 277mm but 280 is just too big. They will need to be skimmed down somewhat to fit.
Secondly although they are 4x100, the centre bore is miles off at 60mm vs 54 for early GT's and 55mm for everything else. Fortunately this can be remedied with a machined hub centric ring. At some stage I will attempt to hunt down an affordable supplier of these in NZ, however as they're fitted to euro only cars I might not have much luck! If somebody over there could pick up this torch we could confirm if this will resolve the offset issues and avoid the need for a weighty and dangerous spacer or difficult machining of mounting surfaces.
This rotor is 280x25mm with the offset to move the rotor friction surface 8mm outboard compared to the original rotor, e.g perfect for our application.
Now for the bad news, they slightly too large. Could probably get away with 277mm but 280 is just too big. They will need to be skimmed down somewhat to fit.
Secondly although they are 4x100, the centre bore is miles off at 60mm vs 54 for early GT's and 55mm for everything else. Fortunately this can be remedied with a machined hub centric ring. At some stage I will attempt to hunt down an affordable supplier of these in NZ, however as they're fitted to euro only cars I might not have much luck! If somebody over there could pick up this torch we could confirm if this will resolve the offset issues and avoid the need for a weighty and dangerous spacer or difficult machining of mounting surfaces.
Fatman
Member +
Thanks for the tip, the fiat coupe discs turn out to be 284x22mm and offset is actually too far the other way by several mm. I've trawled through literally hundreds of options and this is by far the most suitable I've found thus far!
My post was a little confusing, I should say I'm likely to have some difficulty actually getting ahold of the rotor - the machined hub centric ring shouldn't be any issue. Given that there's probably zero cars that actually USE these in NZ somehow I doubt I'm going to find some sitting on a shelf
In an ideal world somebody would hunt down a local store with some stock, buy a single rotor and bolt together a twinpot calliper, ST202 celica carrier and starlet hub to see if it's definitely going to work as expected (although all of the technical drawings say it will work fine I would want some confirmation)
Turning down a the rotor by 5mm and buying a hub centric ring is a damn sight better than spacing the rotor and having to machine 20mm off!
My post was a little confusing, I should say I'm likely to have some difficulty actually getting ahold of the rotor - the machined hub centric ring shouldn't be any issue. Given that there's probably zero cars that actually USE these in NZ somehow I doubt I'm going to find some sitting on a shelf
In an ideal world somebody would hunt down a local store with some stock, buy a single rotor and bolt together a twinpot calliper, ST202 celica carrier and starlet hub to see if it's definitely going to work as expected (although all of the technical drawings say it will work fine I would want some confirmation)
Turning down a the rotor by 5mm and buying a hub centric ring is a damn sight better than spacing the rotor and having to machine 20mm off!
Fatman
Member +
Now that I'm not 100% sure.
The mounting bolt pattern would be identical, however it's a bit of an unknown as to the swept volume of the twin pot GT4 callipers. I haven't seen or tested one in person. I know for a fact that the twinpot levin brakes share the same total piston volume with the larger single pot versions which is why this swap doesn't negatively affect your front/rear brake bias. However the Celica callipers are from a bigger car and potentially a bigger master cylinder. Would need to check. Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if they were identical though.
Note that these calliper carriers are not from the GT4 Celica but the face lift 96+ plus FWD 3SGE Celica with big brakes with a large single pot calliper.
The mounting bolt pattern would be identical, however it's a bit of an unknown as to the swept volume of the twin pot GT4 callipers. I haven't seen or tested one in person. I know for a fact that the twinpot levin brakes share the same total piston volume with the larger single pot versions which is why this swap doesn't negatively affect your front/rear brake bias. However the Celica callipers are from a bigger car and potentially a bigger master cylinder. Would need to check. Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if they were identical though.
Note that these calliper carriers are not from the GT4 Celica but the face lift 96+ plus FWD 3SGE Celica with big brakes with a large single pot calliper.
J25GTi
Lifer
Hmm, see I'm not sure where I can get ahold of levin calipers second hand. There are a few sets on ebay but its 100 per side!
But celica ones are easy enough to get ahold of if anyone knows if they are the same or not?
What are the discs actually off aswell I looked on the site but it doesn't load properly on my blackberry
But celica ones are easy enough to get ahold of if anyone knows if they are the same or not?
What are the discs actually off aswell I looked on the site but it doesn't load properly on my blackberry
Fatman
Member +
There's also another very similar rotor that's 1mm different in offset that could potentially work if you can't find that particular one. Good news on the spigot rings!
I was thinking about it a bit more, the calliper you use is actually irrelevant for the purposes of testing the brake rotor, it just needs to be centred in the carrier bracket. If you can find some celica brackets (make sure they come from the big brake version) and the rotor it should be pretty obvious if the offset is correct
Fatman
Member +
You're looking for brakes from an ST202 Celica with a 3SGE. It may or may not be only facelift models that have the 'big brakes' option. They're also 275x25mm rotors but with a big single piston calliper. ST202 are 1994 till 1999.
pockrockgtti
Member +
ive done a big brake conversion using the single pot calipers and carriers off of an st185. i didnt like the idea of using a spacer inbetween the hub and disc, so i went and got those disc off a vauxhaull and got a mate to machine the outer diameter to 277 and got him to make a spacer ring for the center bore. They fit perfectly!
